Drilling equipment with detachable transporter

ABSTRACT

A drilling rig is removably mounted onto a base emplaced at the drilling site. A transporter includes a lifting mechanism attachable to any one of the four sides of the drilling rig. The lifting mechanism is usable to swing the drilling rig between a use position on the base and a transport position on the transporter. The transporter carries a brace arm assembly which projects forwardly from the transporter to be positionable over the base. Hydraulic means on the transporter is used for forcing the brace arm assembly downwardly against the base during use of the lifting mechanism. The brace assembly may also be used for lifting the drilling rig vertically upwardly from the base prior to swinging it downwardly into its transport position.

United States Patent 1 91 Klein et al.

[451 Mar. 27, 1973 [54] DRILLING EQUIPMENT WITH DETACHABLE TRANSPORTER [73] Assignee: The

Wash.

Nov. 1, 1971 Robbins Company, Seattle,

22 Filed:

[2i] Appl. No.: 194,664

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1970 Hattrud et al. .l73/23 Primary Examiner-Ernest R. Purser Attorney-John O. Graybeal et al.

57 1 ABSTRACT A drilling rig is removably mounted onto a base emplaced at the drilling site. A transporter includes a lifting mechanism attachable to any one of the four sides of the drilling rig. The lifting mechanism is usable to swing the drilling rig between a use position on the base and a transport position on the transporter. The transporter carries a brace arm assembly which projects forwardly from thev transporter to be positionable over the base, Hydraulic means on the transporter is used for forcing the brace arm assembly downwardly against the base during use of the lifting mechanism. The brace assembly may also be used for lifting the drilling rig vertically upwardly from the base prior to swinging it downwardly into its transport position.

18 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to earth boring or drilling machines. It particularly relates to a handling and transporting mechanism for a drilling rig, capable of approaching the drilling rig from anyone of its four sides and lifting the drilling rig from a base implanted at the drilling site and lowering it into a generally horizontal position for movement away from the drilling site.

2. Description of the Prior Art Generally speaking, the drilling equipment of this invention is like that shown by U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,494, granted Nov. 30, 1965 to Robert E. Cannon,'Douglas F. Winberg, Dean K. McCurdy and Richard J. Robbins, and the equipment shown by U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,546, granted Jan. 20, 1970 to John S. Hattrup, Leland B. Poage and Harold T. Klein.

The above two patents show mechanism on a crawler tractor type of transporter for swinging a drilling rig from a horizontal transport position on the transporter upwardly into a generally upright drilling position on a base emplaced at the drilling site, and from said drilling position. back into said transport position.

In addition to the ways shown by the above patents for moving the drilling rig between drilling and transport positions on a base, it is known to pivotally connect a pickup bracket onto a forward upper portion of a transporter, to secure such bracket to a side portion of the drilling rig, and then to use hydraulic linear motor means for swinging the bracket and the drilling rig connected thereto downwardly from the drilling rig s use position on a base into a transport position on the transporter. Such known transporter is provided with a screw jack type outrigger mechanism for stabilizing it relative to the ground during movement of the drilling rig. The stabilizer comprises a pair of fixed arms or members extending outwardly from a lower frame portion of the transporter, and a mechanical screw jack is carried by each such arm. The screw jacks are screwed down into tight contact with the ground to stabilize the equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, the drilling rig is provided with means on each of its four sides to which a lifting bracket carried by a transporter may be secured. In addition, the base is provided with one or more locating sockets or elements associated with each side of the drilling rig. The transporter includes a stabilizer mechanism in the nature of an elongated swing arm assembly which is pivotally attached at its rear end to a lower forward portion of the transporter, for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the transporter. -A yoke is provided at theforward end of the swing arm. A lower portion of the drilling rig is received within the open portion of the yoke, between two side arm parts thereof, and the side arms include means for engaging the locator sockets or elements. When the locator means on the yoke sidearms engage the locator elements on the base the pickup bracket is properly positioned so that it can be swung forwardly into a position wherein fastener components carried by it are in registry with fastener components on the drilling rig. This is true regardless of which of the four sides of the drilling rig has been approached by the transporter. The base assembly further includes one or more linear hydraulic motors interconnected between an intermediate portion of the swing arm assembly and a forward upper portion of the transporter. These motors are used for raising and lowering the swing arm assembly, and for forcing the swing arm assembly downwardly hard against the base during use of the lifting mechanism for moving the drilling rig between a position on the base and a position on the transporter.

According to the invention, the brace assembly is adapted to raise the forward end of the transporter completely off the ground. This results in the drilling rig, which is secured to the lifting bracket, being lifted side and used to pick up the drilling equipment for further movement.

The invention relates to various other features of a more specific or detailed nature, which will become apparent from a reading of the following description of an embodiment of the invention, taken with the accom-. panying drawings, and from the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing like letters and numerals refer to like parts, and g FIG. 1 is a view in side. elevationof the equipment, with the drilling rig mounted onto a base assembly in an upright position, and with a crawler tractor type transporter shown approaching the drilling rig;

FIG. 2 is another view in side elevation but showing a bracing mechanism at the forwardend of the crawler tractor hydraulically loaded downwardly against the base assembly, the drilling rig lifting mechanism secured tothe drilling rig, and the forward end of the transporter elevated, lifting with it the drilling rig, such view also including a fragmentary broken line showing of the drilling rig in the process of being lowered from its upright drilling position towards a generally horizonfragmentary broken line showings of forward end portions of the transporter; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plane viewishowing the two side arm portions of the bracing mechanism in partially folded transport positions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ENIBODIMENT and S7, S8, for reasons which will hereinafter be explained.

A pair of closely spaced apart support arms 60 project forwardly from the transporter 26 adjacent each side thereof. These arms 60, which may be constructed fromrelatively thick plate material, are rigidly secured Drilling rig includes a plurality of upstanding guide columns 12 which are rigidly secured at their lower ends to a main frame 14. Main frame 10 is detachable from and adjustable in angle relative to a base assembly 16. The base assembly 16 is rigidly secured to the ground or mine tunnel floor 18, and may be partially constructed from concrete. A traveling cross frame 20 is mounted for up and down movement along the columns 12 and is moved up and down by one or more hydraulic or screw jack type linear motors 22. A rotary drive assembly 24 is carried by the cross frame 20 and it includes a drive motor, appropriate rotary drive transmission means, and a rotary drive head adapted to be secured to drill pipe.

The crawler tractor 26 is itself very similar to the crawler tractor transporter disclosed by the aforementioned patent No. 3,490,546. Therefore, it will not be described in detail other than to say it includes a chassis 28 having an upper support surface 29 located between a pair of endless tracks 30, and a drive mechanism for moving the tracks 30.

According to the invention, the base assembly is provided with four pairs of sockets S1, S2; S3, S4; S5, S6

. and s7, s8 (FIG. 4 A pair of arms 32, 34 project forwardly, each from a transverse pivot axle 36, carried by a lower forward portion of the transport frame 28, to a a transverse beam 38, illustrated in the form of a rectangular tubular member. The forward ends ofthe arms I stantially atright angles to each other. The minor 'arm portions extend beyond the pivot pin locations a sub stantial distance and include vertical openings therein, in parallelism with the pivot pins 44, 46, for receiving locking pins 52, 54. Locking pins 52, 54 also extend into vertical openings formed inthe beam 3 8. When the pins 52, 54 are placed they fix the arm assemblies 40, 42 in position relative to the beam 38 with the major arm portions thereof projecting forwardly from the beam 38. Together the beam 38 and the side arm assemblies 40, 42 form a generally U-shaped yoke which with the arms 32, 34 and one or more linear hydraulic motors 56 form a brace assembly. In the illustrated embodiment there are two hydraulic linear motors 56. They are pivotally connected at their forward ends to a bracket'secured to the beam 38 and at their rear ends to an upper, forward, central portion of the transporter frame 28. These motors 56 are retracted for raising the brace assembly 32, 34, 38, 40,

42 and are extended for the purpose of lowering such assembly.

As shown by FIGS. 1-3, a pin 58 depends downwardly from the outer end of the major portion of each side arm assembly 40, 42. The two pins 58 are laterally spaced apart a distance equal to the lateral spacing of each pair of sockets S1, S2; S3, S4; S5, S6

to the transporter frame 28 at their rear ends. A lifting arm assembly is pivotally supported at the front ends of each pair of arms 60. Each lifting arm assembly has a main body 62 of plate material having a lower end part which is located between the forward ends of the plates 60, and is pivotally connected thereto by means of a transverse pivot pin 64. The plate body 62 extends upwardly from the pivot pin 64 a distance and then turns and projects forwardly as it continues to rise through the central portion of a body, and then turns and projects upwardly again. The upper portion of each plate body 62 has vertically spaced apart transverse bolt carriers 66 attached thereto. A pair of bolts 68 project forwardly through openings in each carrier 66 and are adapted to be received in threaded openings 70 provided in the outer side walls of the cross frame20. A bracket 71 is rigidly secured to an inside part of the upper portion of each lifting arm body 62. Hydraulic linear motors 72 are provided for moving the lifting arm assemblies. Each motor 72 includes a forwardly projecting piston 74 which is pivotally connected at its forward end to its lifting arm 62 at a location 76 spaced vertically between the bolt carriers 66. The motor cylinder 78 is pivotally connected to an upward rearward pornon of the transporter frame 28, by a trans-v verse pivot pin 80. I

According to the invention, the drilling rig 10 can be approached from any of its four sides by the transporter 26, be secured to the lifting arm assembly, lifted free from the base assembly by the transporter carried load ing or lifting mechanism 62, 72, and set into a generally horizontal position on the transporter 26 for movement to another location. Referring specifically .to FIGS. 1

and 2, the transporter 26 is driven towards one side 'of I the drilling rig 10 with the lifting yoke 38, 40, 42 lifted. The transporter 26 is maneuvered toward the drilling rig 10 until the pins 58 are above the sockets S1, S2, and can be lowered into them. The motors '72 are operated to position the lifting arm assembly 62 against the traveling crosshead 20 and the bolts 68 are tightly screwed into the threaded openings 70, for firmly attaching the lifting arm assemblies 62 to the drilling rig 10. A mechanical link (not shown) may be interconnected between a portion of the base frame andthe crosshead 20 to prevent crosshead movementduring pickup due to compressability of the fluid in motors 22. The hydraulic motors 56 are then extended to force the brace assembly 32, 34, 38, 40, 42 downwardly so that the pins 58 enter and bear heavily against the sockets S1, S2. This transfers weight back to the rear end of the transporter 26 for stabilizing the entire mechanism while the drilling rig 10 is being lowered onto the trans-' clear side wall portions of the base 16. Since the lifting arms 62 are securely pinned to the forward end portion of the transporter frame 28 and are also firmly bolted to the drilling rig 10, the drilling rig is raised with the forward end of the transporter 26.,The brace assembly 32, 34, 38, 40, 42 permits the drilling rig to be folded down onto the transporter frame 28 while in such elevated position.-

FIG. 3 shows the position occupied by the lifting arms 62 when the drilling rig 10 is in a transport position on the transporter 26. A lock pin opening 82 (FIG. 1) is provided laterally through at least one of the pickup arms 62. This opening 82 is alignable with a pair of similar openings 84 provided in the support arms 60 for such pickup arms 62 when arm 62 is in the position shown by FIG. 3. A locking pin 86 (FIG. 5) is inserted through all three aligned openings for stabilizing the mechanism during transport.

As shown by FIG. 5, during transport the arm assemblies 40, 42 are folded inwardly. This is done by removing the locking pins 48 and then swinging the arms 40, 42 inwardly together as far as they will go. Suitable mechanism may be provided for locking the arms 40, 42 in such transport position.

Having above described a typical embodiment of the invention, so that the invention can be fully understood, the invention will now be defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use with a transporter having pickup mechanism for moving a drilling rig between a generally horizontal transport position on the transporter and a generally upright use position on a base at the drilling site, a brace assembly comprising:

swing arm means having an inboard portion including means for pivotally connecting it to a forward frame portion of the transporter, for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis disposed transversely of the transporter, an outboard portion including means for engaging the base at the drilling site, and an intermediate portion; and

hydraulic motor means including means for interconnecting it between a portion of the transporter and the intermediate portion of the swing arm means, said motor means serving to hydraulically lower and raise the swing arm means into and out from engagement with the base, and to hydraulically force the swing arm means downwardly hard against the base during use of the pickup mechanism to move the drilling rig between its use position on the base and its transport position on the transporter.

2. A brace assembly according to claim 1, wherein said swing arm means comprises a pair of elongated side arms having first end parts which together form the said inboard portion of the swing arm means, and second ends, a transverse beam member rigidly secured to the second ends, and side arm assemblies connected to said beam and having elongated arm parts which project in parallelism from said beam in the direction away from the support arms, said side arm parts and said transverse beam together forming a yoke which is the said outboard portion of the swing arm means, with said side arm parts being adapted to receive and accommodate a portion of the drilling rig between them.

3. A brace assembly according to claim 2, wherein each side arm part includes means near the end thereof opposite the transverse beam for engaging the base.

4. A brace assembly according to claim 3, wherein said hydraulic motor means includes at least one linear hydraulic motor having a first end pivotally connected to said swing arm means and means for pivotally connecting its opposite end to an upper forward frame por-.

tion of the transporter.

5. A brace assembly according to claim 3, wherein the said side arm assemblies include means for pivotally connecting them to the ends of the transverse beam,

and releasable lock means for securing the side arm assemblies to the transverse beam with said arm parts in the said position wherein they project in parallelism' rotary drilling equipment on said cross frame, including a motor driven rotary drive head attachable to a drillpipe;

means for driving said cross frame up and down along said guide column means; and means on at least two separate sides of the drilling rig to which the lifting mechanism on said'transporter proached and picked up from at least said two different sides by the transporter.

7. A drilling rig according to claim 6, wherein the means to which the lifting mechanism is attached is on the traveling cross frame.

8. A drilling rig according to claim 6, wherein said drilling rig includes four sides and means on all four sides to which the lifting mechanism may be attached.

9. A drilling rig according to claim 8, wherein the means to which the lifting mechanism is attached is on the traveling cross frame.

10. A drilling rig according to claim 6', including four corners, a pair of cylindrical guide columns at two of said corners and a pair of cylindrical hydrauliclinear motors at the other two comers, which motors comprise at least a portion of the means for driving the cross frame up and down along the guide column means, with said cylindrical guide columns and cylindrical linear-hydraulic motors substantially defining the side boundaries of the drilling rig on all four sides, whereby the drilling rig may be laid down horizontally onto the transporter on any one of its four sides, and wherein means are provided on all four sides of the drilling rig for receiving attachment of the lifting mechanism on the transport.

11. A drilling rig according to claim 10, wherein the means for receiving attachment of the lifting mechanism is on the traveling cross frame.

12. Earth drilling equipment comprising:

a base which in use is emplaced at the drilling site,

said base including at least one locator element;

can be attached, so that the drilling rig can be apa drilling rig including a frame which is detachably connectible to said base, guide column means extending upwardly from said frame, a traveling cross frame mounted for up and down travel along said guide column means, drilling equipment on said cross frame including a motor driven rotary drive head connectible to drill pipe, means for driving said traveling cross frame up and down along said guide'column means, and means forming at least one attachment station on a side of said drilling rig; and

a transporter including a braceassembly comprising swing arm means having an inboard portion pivotally connected to a forward frame portion of the transporter, for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis disposed transversely of the transporter, an outboard portion including means for engaging said locator element, and an intermediate portion, mechanism for moving the drilling rig between a generally horizontal transport position on the transporter and a generally upright use position on the base, including a bracket at the front end of the transporter mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the transporter, and including means above such axis for securing said bracket to the attachment station on the drilling rig, first hydraulic linear motor means interconnected between said bracket and the transporter, and second hydraulic linear motor means interconnected between the transporter and the intermediate portion of the swing arm means, for hydraulically forcing said swing arm means downwardly with its outboard portion against the base during retraction of the first linear motor 7 means, for swinging the bracket and the drilling rig connected thereto rearwardly towards the transporter, for moving the drilling rig from its; position on the base down into a transport position on the transporter.

13. Drilling equipment according to claim 12, comprising means establishing an attachment station on at least two sides thereof, so that the transporter can approach the drilling rig fiom each such side having an attachment station, and pick up the drilling rig from such side, and said base including a locator element associated with each attachment station which is engageable by the outboard portion of the brace assembly swing armmeans.

14. Drilling equipment according to claim 13, wherein the attachment stations are located on side portions of the said traveling cross frame means.

15. Drilling equipment according to claim 13,

wherein the drilling rig has four sides and each side is provided with an attachment station, and wherein the base is provided witha cooperating locator element for each attachment station, so that the drilling rig can be approached by the transporter from any one of its four sides, and the brace assembly engaged to the base, and the lifting mechanism coupled to the drilling rig and used to lift it from the base and to lower it onto the transporter, from any one of the four sides of the drilling rig.

16. Drilling equipment according to claim 15, wherein the attachment stations are located at side portions of the travelingcross frame.

1 lllng equipment according to claim 12,

wherein the outboard portion of the swing arm means comprises a transverse beam and a pair of side arms projecting forwardly from the beam to form a generally U-shaped yoke into which a lower portion of the drilling rig is received when the lifting bracket is attached to the drilling rig and the outboard portion of the swing arm means is engaged to the locator element on the base.

18. Drilling equipment according to claim 17, wherein said base includes a pair of locator elements and such locator elements are located below the reach of the side arms of said yoke, and said side arms each carry means for-engaging the locator elements. 

1. For use with a transporter having pickup mechanism for moving a drilling rig between a generally horizontal transport position on the transporter and a generally upright use position on a base at the drilling site, a brace assemBly comprising: swing arm means having an inboard portion including means for pivotally connecting it to a forward frame portion of the transporter, for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis disposed transversely of the transporter, an outboard portion including means for engaging the base at the drilling site, and an intermediate portion; and hydraulic motor means including means for interconnecting it between a portion of the transporter and the intermediate portion of the swing arm means, said motor means serving to hydraulically lower and raise the swing arm means into and out from engagement with the base, and to hydraulically force the swing arm means downwardly hard against the base during use of the pickup mechanism to move the drilling rig between its use position on the base and its transport position on the transporter.
 2. A brace assembly according to claim 1, wherein said swing arm means comprises a pair of elongated side arms having first end parts which together form the said inboard portion of the swing arm means, and second ends, a transverse beam member rigidly secured to the second ends, and side arm assemblies connected to said beam and having elongated arm parts which project in parallelism from said beam in the direction away from the support arms, said side arm parts and said transverse beam together forming a yoke which is the said outboard portion of the swing arm means, with said side arm parts being adapted to receive and accommodate a portion of the drilling rig between them.
 3. A brace assembly according to claim 2, wherein each side arm part includes means near the end thereof opposite the transverse beam for engaging the base.
 4. A brace assembly according to claim 3, wherein said hydraulic motor means includes at least one linear hydraulic motor having a first end pivotally connected to said swing arm means and means for pivotally connecting its opposite end to an upper forward frame portion of the transporter.
 5. A brace assembly according to claim 3, wherein the said side arm assemblies include means for pivotally connecting them to the ends of the transverse beam, and releasable lock means for securing the side arm assemblies to the transverse beam with said arm parts in the said position wherein they project in parallelism from the transverse beam, with said arm parts being foldable inwardly towards said beam when the releasable lock means is unlocked.
 6. For use with a transporter which includes lifting mechanism for moving a drilling rig from one location to another, a drilling rig comprising: a frame including guide column means extending upwardly therefrom; a traveling cross frame mounted for up and down travel along said guide column means; rotary drilling equipment on said cross frame, including a motor driven rotary drive head attachable to a drill pipe; means for driving said cross frame up and down along said guide column means; and means on at least two separate sides of the drilling rig to which the lifting mechanism on said transporter can be attached, so that the drilling rig can be approached and picked up from at least said two different sides by the transporter.
 7. A drilling rig according to claim 6, wherein the means to which the lifting mechanism is attached is on the traveling cross frame.
 8. A drilling rig according to claim 6, wherein said drilling rig includes four sides and means on all four sides to which the lifting mechanism may be attached.
 9. A drilling rig according to claim 8, wherein the means to which the lifting mechanism is attached is on the traveling cross frame.
 10. A drilling rig according to claim 6, including four corners, a pair of cylindrical guide columns at two of said corners and a pair of cylindrical hydraulic linear motors at the other two corners, which motors comprise at least a portion of the means for driving the cross frame up and down along the guide column means, with said cylindrical guide columns and cylindrical linear Hydraulic motors substantially defining the side boundaries of the drilling rig on all four sides, whereby the drilling rig may be laid down horizontally onto the transporter on any one of its four sides, and wherein means are provided on all four sides of the drilling rig for receiving attachment of the lifting mechanism on the transport.
 11. A drilling rig according to claim 10, wherein the means for receiving attachment of the lifting mechanism is on the traveling cross frame.
 12. Earth drilling equipment comprising: a base which in use is emplaced at the drilling site, said base including at least one locator element; a drilling rig including a frame which is detachably connectible to said base, guide column means extending upwardly from said frame, a traveling cross frame mounted for up and down travel along said guide column means, drilling equipment on said cross frame including a motor driven rotary drive head connectible to drill pipe, means for driving said traveling cross frame up and down along said guide column means, and means forming at least one attachment station on a side of said drilling rig; and a transporter including a brace assembly comprising swing arm means having an inboard portion pivotally connected to a forward frame portion of the transporter, for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis disposed transversely of the transporter, an outboard portion including means for engaging said locator element, and an intermediate portion, mechanism for moving the drilling rig between a generally horizontal transport position on the transporter and a generally upright use position on the base, including a bracket at the front end of the transporter mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the transporter, and including means above such axis for securing said bracket to the attachment station on the drilling rig, first hydraulic linear motor means interconnected between said bracket and the transporter, and second hydraulic linear motor means interconnected between the transporter and the intermediate portion of the swing arm means, for hydraulically forcing said swing arm means downwardly with its outboard portion against the base during retraction of the first linear motor means, for swinging the bracket and the drilling rig connected thereto rearwardly towards the transporter, for moving the drilling rig from its position on the base down into a transport position on the transporter.
 13. Drilling equipment according to claim 12, comprising means establishing an attachment station on at least two sides thereof, so that the transporter can approach the drilling rig from each such side having an attachment station, and pick up the drilling rig from such side, and said base including a locator element associated with each attachment station which is engageable by the outboard portion of the brace assembly swing arm means.
 14. Drilling equipment according to claim 13, wherein the attachment stations are located on side portions of the said traveling cross frame means.
 15. Drilling equipment according to claim 13, wherein the drilling rig has four sides and each side is provided with an attachment station, and wherein the base is provided with a cooperating locator element for each attachment station, so that the drilling rig can be approached by the transporter from any one of its four sides, and the brace assembly engaged to the base, and the lifting mechanism coupled to the drilling rig and used to lift it from the base and to lower it onto the transporter, from any one of the four sides of the drilling rig.
 16. Drilling equipment according to claim 15, wherein the attachment stations are located at side portions of the traveling cross frame.
 17. Drilling equipment according to claim 12, wherein the outboard portion of the swing arm means comprises a transverse beam and a pair of side arms projecting forwardly from the beam to form a generally U-shaped yoke into which a lower portion Of the drilling rig is received when the lifting bracket is attached to the drilling rig and the outboard portion of the swing arm means is engaged to the locator element on the base.
 18. Drilling equipment according to claim 17, wherein said base includes a pair of locator elements and such locator elements are located below the reach of the side arms of said yoke, and said side arms each carry means for engaging the locator elements. 